Adjustable seat



May 19, 1936. J. M. MAsLowsKl ADJUSTABLE SEAT Filed OCT.. 22, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 19, 1936. J. M. MAsLowsKl ADJUSTABLE SEAT Filed Oct. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Shree?I 2 Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES *PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in adjustable seats for motor vehicles.

One object of the invention is to provide an adjustable seat for the driver of a motor vehicle, wherein mechanism of simple and rugged design is employed for raising or lowering the seat, as desired, to suit the requirements of the driver.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seat adjusting mechanism of the character described in the preceding paragraph, which is easily accessible for operation by the driver of the vehicle while seated.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a seat raising and lowering mechanism so designed as to effectively hold the seat against rocking or tilting in all the different positions of adjustment thereof.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and( claim hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view, partly broken away, of the seat structure of a motor vehicle, corresponding substantially to the line I--I of Figure 3, `said View showing the backrest and seat cushions in side elevation. Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the parts in a different position. Figure 3 is a plan viewof the structure illustrated in Figure 1, with the seat and back rest cushions removed. Figure 4 is a part front elevational and part transverse vertical sectional View of the seat structure shown in Figure 1, looking from left to right in said last named gure, the seat cushionbeing shown in front elevation.

Insaid drawings, the frame structure of the seat is indicated by I0. The'frame structure comprises a front wall, side walls, and a rear wall, said rear wall not being shown and the front wall and side wallsbeing indicated by II 'and I2, respectively, in the drawings. The usual removable seat and back rest cushion membersl3 and I4 are mounted within the frame I0.

My improvements comprise broadly a rotatable adjusting shaft or screw A; vtwo sets of front toggle links B-B and B-B, two sets of rear toggle links B--B and B-B; front and rear trans- Y verse rods C-C respectively connecting the front -vide a base plate I5, which forms a part of the seat structure`,'and to which the frame structure comprising the front wall I I, the side walls I 2-I 2, and the usual back wall, not shown, is secured in 'any suitable manner. As shown, the side walls I2-I2 are provided with bottom flanges which may be riveted to said base plate I5. At the front end of the base plate I5 is a vertically disposed upstanding xed plate I6, which, as shown, is riveted to the wall II. 'Ihe plate I6 is also secured to the plate I5 through the medium of the base bars E-E, as hereinafter pointed out. 'I'he plate I6, as shown, is arranged on the inner side of the wall III and has a vertical slot or opening I 'I therethrough. As will be understood, the front wall I I also has an opening registering with the opening II. The slot or `opening I 1 accommodates the outer end of the shaft A for vertical movement, as hereinafter pointed out. The base bars E-E are mounted at opposite sides of the Vseat structure on the base plate I5. Each bar E comprises a flat section I8 riveted to said base plate. At the front and rear ends of said bar E 4along the inner edge thereof, relatively short upstanding flanges I9 and 20 are provided. The front flanges I9I9 have angular extensions 2I-2I, which are secured to the plate I6. The bars E-Efthus serve to rigidly secure the plate I6 to the plate I5.

'Ihe adjusting shaft or screw A is provided with a right hand threaded section 22 at the front end portion thereof and aleft hand threaded section 23 at its rear end. The front end of the shaft is extended beyond the threads 22, as indicated at 24, said extended portion projecting through and being guided within the slot II of the plate I6. An operating knob or grip 25 is fixed to the extension `2l! of the shaft, the same being preferably secured by a rivet extending through the hub of the knob and the shaft A. The hub of the knob 25 bears on the outer side of the wall I0 of the seat frame structure and a collar 26Yrigid with the shaft bears on the inner side of the plate I6. As will be evident, the shaft is thus held against endwise displacement with respect to the plate I6 `by the knob 25 and the collar 26. The transverse front and rear -rods O-C have journal portions 21-21 and 2'I-2'I at opposite ends thereof. Each rod C also has an enlarged section 28 through which the shaft A extends. Each section 28 is in the form of an internally threaded sleeve or nut. The internal threads of the section 28 of the front rod are right hand and cooperate with the right hand threads 22 of the shaft A, while the internal threads of the section 28 of the rear rod are left hand and cooperate with the left hand threads 23 of said shaft.

The toggle links of the front sets B-B and B-B and of the rear sets B-B and B--B are all of like design, each link comprising an arm 29 having a pivot pin opening 39 at one end and a cylindrical boss 3| at the other end thereof projecting at right angles to said arm. The boss 3I is provided with an axial bearing opening 32 adapted to receive the corresponding cylindrical journal portion 2l at one end of one of the rods C. The lower members of the front and rear sets of toggle links at each side of the seat are pivoted at their outer ends to the front and rear upstanding flanges I9 and ZIJ, respectively, of the corresponding bar E by means of pivotv elements extending through said anges and the pivot openings 30--30 of said links. The upper members of the front and rear sets of toggle links at each side of the seat are pivoted at their outer ends to the corresponding supporting bar D. Each bar D comprises a. flat section similar to the section I8 of the bar E, also designated by I 8. The bars D-D have depending front and rear flanges similar to the flanges I9 and 2G of the bars E-E, also designated by I9 and 20. The bars D-D are reversely arranged to the bars E-E with the anges I9 and 2B of each bar D in vertical alignment with the flanges I9 and 20 of the corresponding bar E. As most clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper members B-B and B-B of the sets of toggle links are reversely arranged to the lower members B--B and B--B, so that the hubs thereof extend in opposite directions. The hubs of the top and bottom members of the front sets are in axial alignment and rotatably accommodate the journal portions 21-27 at opposite ends of the rod C at the front of the seat. The hubs of the top and bottom members of the rear sets of links are also in axial alignment and receive the journal portions 21-21 at opposite ends of the rod C at the rear of the seat. The pivotal connection between the bars D-D and the upper toggle link memport the seat cushion I3, whereby the seat cushion is raised and lowered with said bars, thus adjusting the height of the seat.

It is further pointed out that when the seat is lowered tothel position shown in Figure 1, the depending flanges I9 and 20 of the supporting bars D-D engage with the upper edges of the anges I9 and 20Y of the base bars E-E, thereby limiting relative approach of said bars D-D and E-E and arresting swinging mov-ement of the toggle links with the pivots 30--30 of the upper and lower members of each set of toggle links B--B vertically separated, so that there will be no danger of the operating parts becoming jammed, which might otherwise occur if the pivots of the toggle links were permitted to move to a position in horizontal alignment with the axis of the journal portions 2I-2'I of the corresponding rod C. Y

In operating my improved raising and lowering mechanism for the drivers seat of a motor vehicle, assuming that the seat is in the lowered position shown in Figure 1, the operator rotates the bar A in a right hand direction through the medium of the knob 25 thereof, thereby causing the rods C-C to move laterally apart. This movement of the rods C-C causes the toggle links B-B and B-B of the front and rear sets to straighten out until they nally assume the position shown in Figure 2, wherein the seat is illustrated as raised to its maximum height of adjustment. In lowering the seat, the operator turns the shaft in a left hand direction by means of the knob 25, thereby causing the rods C-C to laterally approach each other and effecting a corresponding swinging movement of the members B-B of the toggle links with consequent lowering of the seat. This lowering action may be continued until the parts assume the positions shown in Figure 1, wherein the seat is illustrated as lowered to the limit of its adjustment. As hereinbefore pointed out in connection with the description of the operating mechanism, the anges I9 and 20 of the supporting bars D-D will engage with the upper edges of the anges I 9 and 200i the base bars E-E, thereby positively arresting movement of the parts as illustrated in Figure 1 and preventing the toggle links from being completely folded. As hereinbefore explained, the separated position of the pivots at the outer ends of the upper and lower arms B-B of the toggle links prevents jamming of the parts and assures immediate and easy adjustment through the medium of the rotary operating shaft A and the toggle links B-B when the shaft A is rotated.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying outlv my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

I claim:

In an adjustable seat, the combination with a base member; of seat supporting means above said base member; front `and rear sets of toggle links at each side of the base, each set comprising a barlike upper link pivoted to said supporting means, and a barlike lower link pivoted to said base member, the bars of each set of links having aligned, laterally projecting sleeve-like bearing members at their inner ends, adapted to receive pivot means for swingingly connecting said links; a transverse front pivot shaft extending through the bearing openings of the sleeves of said front sets for pivotally connecting the links of each set to each other, and connecting said sets for simultaneous operation; a transverse rear pivot shaft extending through th bearing openings of the sleeves of said rear sets of links for pivotally connecting the links of each set to each other, and for connecting said rear sets for simultaneous operation; and screw means for displacing said shafts with respect to each other to operate all of said sets of links simultaneously.

JOHN M. MASLOWSKI. 

